Citation
Chen, Wan-Yi & Lee, Yookyong (2016). Adolescent exposure to community violence and depressive symptoms among adolescents and young adults: Understanding the effect of mental health service usage. 2016 Add Health Users Conference. Bethesda, MD.Abstract
Objective: This study addresses gaps in existing literature regarding impact from exposure to community violence by assessing (1) whether sub-types of adolescent victimization are linked to depressive symptoms; (2) whether adolescent victimization is linked with mental health service use; and (3) the role of mental health service use in attenuating symptoms arising from victimizations. Methods: Data from four waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health was utilized. Results: Findings indicate adolescents witnessing community violence were more likely to experience depressive symptoms during adolescence but not during their young adulthood; direct exposure to violence during adolescence does not predict depressive symptoms in adolescence but does in adulthood. Use of mental health service mediates report of depressive symptoms for adolescents witnessing community violence. Conclusion: The finding that direct exposure to violence during adolescence does not predict adolescent depressive symptoms, but does for adult depressive symptoms points toward a more complex etiological process whereby a cascade of risk may be activated by violence exposure that is not measurable until adulthood. This result shows the need for gateways that enable adults to access mental health services and for comparable or unique strategies for adolescents to access mental health services.URL
https://addhealth.cpc.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/docs/events/2016%20Add%20Health%20Users%20Conference%20Abstracts_2016_06_16.pdfReference Type
Conference proceedingBook Title
2016 Add Health Users ConferenceAuthor(s)
Chen, Wan-YiLee, Yookyong